Rosalyn Hunt
Double murder teen locked up for 14 years
By TOM POTTER
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
9:15 AM
A “STUBBORN and highly manipulative” teenager will serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars for the brutal killings of her father and an alcoholic woman.
Lorraine Thorpe was sentenced by Mr Justice Saunders at the Old Bailey yesterday following the murders of her father and Rosalyn Hunt.
But the court heard it was acknowledged that the 16-year-old had loved and cared for her alcoholic father, Des.
Thorpe, of Clapgate Lane, Ipswich, was convicted last month of the two murders, along with her boyfriend Paul Clarke, 42, of Mountbatten Court, Ipswich, who is serving a minimum 27-year jail term.
Ms Hunt, 41, of Victoria Street, Ipswich, died some time between August 1 and 10 last year after being tortured over a period of time.
During various assaults she had been whipped with a dog chain, beaten, had her hair set alight, had a cheese grater used on her and salt rubbed in her wounds.
Mr Thorpe died at a friend’s flat in Limerick Close, Ipswich, on August 10. He was smothered with a cushion because he threatened to tell police how Ms Hunt died.
Graham Parkins QC, representing Lorraine Thorpe, said his client had led a chaotic lifestyle since she was 12, after her parents’ marriage split up and she became involved in her father’s world of drinking.
Although Lorraine Thorpe suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Mr Parkins added she was a bright and talented girl.
Mr Justice Saunders spoke at length about the teenager’s upbringing, which he said was one no child should have. However, he also said she was “capable of being highly manipulative, wilful and stubborn.”
Regarding Thorpe’s relationship with her father, the judge said: “By the time of his death, he was a hopeless alcoholic, unable to walk unaided, unable to do anything for himself.
“She (Lorraine) did more and more for him – doing the most intimate things for him that no child should have to do. All the evidence shows they loved each other very much.
“Her story is an appalling one. She moved from one squalid flat to another, sometimes living together (with Mr Thorpe) in a tent. She was spending all her time with middle-aged alcoholics to whom violence had become the norm.
“No one who heard the evidence in this case could doubt for a moment that she has had immense difficulties in her life.
“She had been left with no real understanding of what is right and what is wrong. She found violence funny and entertaining.”
Regarding Ms Hunt’s murder, the court was told Lorraine Thorpe was responsible for kicking, punching and, most likely, stamping on Ms Hunt, an alcoholic, who was not fit to defend herself when it started, and was even less capable of resistance as the attacks continued.
Mr Justice Saunders added: “Far from being sorry for what she had done, Lorraine seems to have gloried in it.”
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6 comments
Sorry everyone, you misunderstand me, my fault for perhaps not articulating my view correctly. I was in no way trying to associate this crime with the same significance as the crime for which this child was involved in, although having said that taking a life is equally as awful no matter how it is done or by whom. The point I was trying to make is that life sentances are handed out nowadays but do not equate to a life sentance, whereas years gone by they did.
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L S
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
My friend back in Ipswich still cannot not get over the fact that she killed her mum. This poor mum did niot have long to get to know her new grand daughter neither meet the grand child on the way. I just hope she riots there and maybe one day learn from what she did. So sick R..I.P both of them and thoughts to all the familys and people this touched
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ITFC.TRACTORGIRL.IN.THE.NORTH
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
I'm not sure that the nebulous concept of "evil" or the bandying about of the names of East End gangsters or murderous paedophiles from the 1960s has any relevance to, or helps in our understanding of, what went wrong with this young girl. I'd be interested to know what role Social Services played in this girl's life, what kind of support was in place, and how the social workers on the case were monitoring her progress and doing their best to protect her from dubious or undesirable relationships. Still, they've got fourteen years to help her now, so let's hope that they make a decent job of it and that, by the time she's thirty, she'll be a credit to the system.
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martha farquhar
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
disagrree with your comments. She was a child when these arocities were committed not an adult. so why should she be locked away for the rest of her life. is it not possibe many years later when she has atoned for these most serious crimes she might and i say might be able to start her life again. She did not act alone in these terrible acts and as to do comparrisons with the moors murderers and the krays perhaps that is taking things a little to far. I believe hhere is every chance in that long period of incarceration that lorrraine Thorpe can be rehabilitated.
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mark poole
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
what a sad and pathetic waste of such a young life despite the judges word i believe this girl was very much the subject of manipulation from a much older man her co defendant. it does not excuse the double murders but on her own i think there might have been a very different outcome so very very sad.
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mark poole
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Firstly This is an incredibly sad case. I have a great deal of sympathy for the families of the victims. How does a child of this age can become so evil, what has gone so wrong in her young life to lead her to have such a lack of respect for the life of others? What has happened in the latter years that lifers no longer serve a life sentance. The Krays, the moors murderers rightly served a life sentance, it's time that that today a Life sentance means Life & a day (released from prison in a wooden box).
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L S
Tuesday, September 7, 2010